TO BE FLOGGED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20538, 13 February 1935, Page 7

TO BE FLOGGED.

Middle Aged Man’s Offence. SENTENCED BY CHIEF JUSTICE. - Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. This Day. Fifteen strokes of the cat-o’-nine tails was part of the punishment imposed by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) in the Supreme Court to-day on William Thomas Stoneman, a middle-aged man who had pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent assault on two girls, aged eight year and nine years respectively. He wa also sentenced to four years’ imprisoi ment with hard labour on each charg the terms to be concurrent. In passing sentence, his Honor said he could not shut his eyes to the fact that there were some people who thought the Court should never inflict corporal punishment. Whether or not corporal punishment should remain as a punishment, that might be imposed in such cases, was a matter for the Legislature, not for him, for the Legislature no doubt had regard to the general public opinion. While he did not think it proper to express an opinion, all he would say -was that while the law contemplated that in a proper case corporal punishment should be given, he would not be doing his duty if, in a proper case, he refused to order that punishment.